Entanglement
by Amanda Yates
Summary: Arthur did something unforgivable to Merlin a long time ago before and now Merlin is in league with Morgause and Arthur is torn between wanting to protect Merlin or his father Uther in the conniving webs Morgause has weaved for them all.


**Summary: Arthur did something unforgivable to Merlin a long time ago before and now Merlin is in league with Morgause and Arthur is torn between wanting to protect Merlin or his father Uther in the conniving webs Morgause has weaved for them all.**

**WARNINGS: M/M, implied Mpreg, suicidal themes**

**Modern Au, slightly OOC Merlin**

**Entanglement**

**Chapter - 1**

"Morgause, I am telling this again, I want no part in it, whatever you have to do I won't stop you but don't expect me to give a hand!"

Merlin sighed as he held the phone in one hand keeping a careful eye out for the child who could cause so much mischief if Merlin's attentions were elsewhere for just a minute.

He could picture Morgause now, probably rolling her eyes while simultaneously frowning, he couldn't recall the number of times they've had the same argument before.

"Merlin, how can you not want revenge? What he did to you was shameful and humiliating! Do not tell me you honestly wish to let it go!"

There was a time when Merlin would have gladly agreed with her but now his priorities were different, his bitterness was a long forgotten sack of garbage he did not want to ever remember again though the hurt persisted, "Morgause, to be honest all I want to do is forget it ever happened and move on, I was doing a fine job of it for five years until you decided to uproot my best left forgotten memories again!"

"Well if it's any consolation you would have been forced to face your past either way, I have it on reliable sources that he's been looking for you."

Merlin chuckled darkly before saying "No matter who he sends they will not find me."

There was a pause on the other end of the line and then Morgause said "You don't seem to be surprised by the information."

"No…" he dragged the word out knowing it would irritate Morgause, "It was I who sent the first one he sent away to Hawaii with his brain cells permanently damaged after all."

Morgause snorted and said "It seems I've become a bad influence on you."

"Oh you are" answered Merlin just as little pitter patter of small feet could be heard inside the house.

"And yet not enough of an influence to make you want to help me"

Merlin smirked, if there was one thing he knew it was that Morgause was a manipulator at heart, she was a tactician and a strategist and if Merlin hadn't known her and observed her for the past five years he would have fallen but now he knew enough about Morgause, knew that she would employ all weaponry in her arson to get him to agree.

"There is nothing in this world that would make me wish to meet Pendragon again, not even the prospect of revenge."

"Pity, I've been luring his sister Morgana into my schemes and I was hoping you'd train her."

"Morgana? Morgana Pendragon has the powers?"

It was Morgause' turn to chuckle as she said "Indeed, how ironic is that and she seems to hate her father all too much"

"It doesn't matter if she hates her father, she'd never agree to do anything against him." It was clear to both of them which 'he' Merlin was referring to.

"Don't be so sure of that, and if I can't get you to help will you atleast oversee the labs for the time I am gone? I cannot trust Gwaine with a matter as important; he'd have the lab turned into a freak circus show before I get back."

Merlin smiled now more at ease with the conversation, "Sure, I'll take over, so long as you promise to have Elena babysitting Alec, I will not leave him to another harpy like Catrina again!"

"Of course, how is Alec anyway?"

Merlin's grin widened enough to stretch across his entire face, "Oh he's a happy little five year old, wouldn't stop talking my ears off when I'm home and he's taken a liking to painting."

"It doesn't surprise me that he chatters, you can hardly complain seeing it must be because he inherited your genes."

"True"

"I will talk to you again soon; let me know if you change your mind!"

Merlin nodded though he knew Morgause couldn't see and said "Of course, and….." before he could continue he was gob smacked by sight of the flames leaping up in the hall and shouted "ALEC! You cannot set fire to the living room!

"Oh god, I'll call you back Morgause, this is an emergency!" he cut the line after hearing the tinkling laughter of Morgause on the other end.

He had his erstwhile son to chase after who though it was alright to set flame to Merlin's apartment, he was so grounding Alec for a week for this after he had managed to put out the fire of course.

Arthur slammed his hand against the table hard enough to make Leon back away a step before he screeched "I WANT HIM FOUND! You're all pathetic excuses for trackers!"

In front of him Valiant, Lionel and Taylor shifted on their feet having no idea how to explain that they could not find the person Arthur was looking for, they had tried of course for four years but there was no sign of Merlin anywhere and neither a hide nor hair had been seen of him ever since that day. The day which Arthur still clearly remembered and felt a chill in his bones everytime he remembered the sight, every single time he had to resist the overwhelming urge to double over in guilt and grief and scream his throat hoarse until he had him in his arms again.

"Get out of my sight!"

As Leon and Arthur were the only ones left Leon laid a gentle hand on Arthur's shoulder before saying in an even gentler voice, as if Arthur were a spooked mare, "Maybe he did succeed that day Arthur, maybe this is a lost cause!"

Arthur shook Leon's hands off, "NO, No! He is not dead Leon! And neither is my heir! I just have to find him!"

"Arthur it's been five years and even if you did find him what are you going to do? Ask him to forgive you? And what about Uther, you don't want to condemn him to your fathers punishment, maybe its best if you leave it be!"

Arthur rubbed his brows and said "I cannot Leon, he's still in my mind's eye all the time…I am not expecting clemency or for him to take me back" both Arthur and Leon knew that was not true but neither of them said so, "I just want to know he's okay, that my child is okay! And no matter what, I deserve to be a part of my heir's life!"

Leon doubted that and said so to Arthur who shook his head and said "I would have never done those things if he'd told me Leon! No matter how much of a horrible person I was I wouldn't have done that if I'd known he was carrying my child!"

Before either of them could say anything there was a knock on the door and Morgana stepped inside looking regal as always though these days there was a constant shadow around her eyes and she had to actively make an effort to look less tired.

She took a seat in one of the comfortable leather chairs in Arthur's office before she asked "Any news?"

At Arthur's firm glare and Leon's silence she knew the answer and she said "You know we can try by other means Arthur."

Arthur started pacing, "I am not letting you risk your life so don't even think about it!"

Morgana scowled though she was secretly pleased and said "Not me, I don't have enough power even if I wanted to but I know someone who might."

Arthur sighed and said turning to Morgana "If Uther knew about this he would have both our hides and Merlin's if we happen to find him."

Morgana's eyes softened, "We'll keep it a secret then, Arthur it's the only way of finding him if someone's camouflaging him with magic."

Only Morgana could say the word so easily while sitting in Uther's domain and Arthur didn't chastise her for once giving it up as a lost cause, instead he was desperate enough to ask "Who?"

Morgana smirked and Arthur resisted the urge to groan, he knew that look meant nothing good could come off it, " is a very proficient psychic who worked for Uther before the purge, it's rumored that he's also a very powerful mage and he might just be able to help."

Arthur looked incredulous before he spat, "You're forgetting one thing Morgana, whoever this is why would they want to help me?"

Morgana looked indignant before saying "Of course I didn't say it would be easy, Gaius Holmes in Immunology department is a very dear friend of , if we'd ask him to put in a word I'm sure things will go smoothly."

"Wait, why hasn't father put an end to this Kilgarrah then?"

Morgana looked at him like he was the densest fool in the entire country before saying "Kilgarrah is too powerful, even for Uther so they now ignore each other's existence happily or so I heard."

"Fine, let's give it a try, I'll talk to Gaius tomorrow."

Morgana nodded before she and Leon swept out the room leaving Arthur to contemplatively look at the office walls wondering where Merlin might be and praying that nothing bad had happened to him.

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